Opsterland Calls for Room for Innovation and Clear Rules
On September 9, Marcel van Opzeeland of Alderman spoke on behalf of the Opsterland Municipal Executive during the Provincial Council committee hearing on the provincial Environmental Vision.
Van Opzeeland called for the freedom to experiment in Opsterland with innovative solutions for nature restoration, agriculture, and the energy transition. He also emphasized the importance of a strong connection between urban and rural areas and called for clear guidelines for balancing different interests within the National Agricultural Infrastructure Plan.
Read the full article by Alderman Van Opzeeland below.
Dear Chair, Members of the Provincial Council,
My name is Marcel van Opzeeland, and I am speaking on behalf of the Opsterland Municipal Executive. You have improved the Environmental Vision based on our feedback. We thank you for that. On behalf of the Opsterland Municipal Executive, I would like to raise three points: room for experimentation, strong cities with a strong rural area, and clear guidelines for the National Agricultural Structure.
First: Give Opsterland the freedom to be an innovative region for experimentation
Housing development, agriculture, and the energy transition are at a standstill in Bakkeveen. Nature restoration is the key to unlocking this situation. Together with you, we want to make progress possible again.
Consider a combination of hydrological measures, new connections, and an active land-use policy. Our goal is to make it possible again to grant permits, for example, for single-feed digesters with nitrogen crackers.
Our commitment: guaranteed habitat restoration and demonstrable nitrogen reduction, with minimal adverse effects and a positive outlook for agriculture.
That requires room to innovate and a willingness to accept carefully weighed legal risks. Let’s look together at what *is* possible.
Second: Precisely because we want to remain a rural municipality, we support the Frisian Urban Network
. As a neighboring municipality of Heerenveen and Smallingerland, we see firsthand how urban and rural areas reinforce each other. Urbanization of the F4, combined with appropriate growth in our villages and the regional center of Gorredijk, preserves space for the landscape, nature, recreation, heritage, and agriculture. Together, these elements contribute to the overall prosperity of Fryslân.
That is why we support the Frisian urbanization strategy, in conjunction with the core strategy. By pursuing a single, unified course, we are in a stronger position in The Hague to secure policy flexibility and financial support.
That core strategy is still being developed. Do not let the Environmental Vision get ahead of it, and leave enough room to incorporate the results later on.
Provide opportunities to experiment, strengthen the connection between urban and rural areas, and clarify how we make choices.
Third: Provide clear guidelines for the Agricultural Infrastructure Plan
Within the Agricultural Infrastructure Plan, you want to conduct a more rigorous assessment of whether certain developments are desirable. We appreciate this comprehensive approach. But how do we make decisions when interests conflict?
A first-time homebuyer is looking for a home. A farmer needs land. A village is waiting for capacity on the power grid. Three understandable interests, all of which sometimes involve the same hectare.
So how do we make a well-reasoned choice?
We ask that you provide guidance on a clear, democratically established decision-making framework. Make it clear how interests are weighed and who makes the decisions. These are political choices for which you can lay the groundwork. Municipalities can help make that framework workable. Opsterland is happy to contribute its ideas and efforts.
Provide opportunities for experimentation, strengthen the connection between urban and rural areas, and clarify how we make choices. In this way, we offer residents, farmers, and entrepreneurs a sense of hope and give nature the space it needs.